Sergio Camacho

--> Sergio Camacho

Bio

Beyond the Milestone

the call of the motherland

Born in Madrid, Spain, Sergio Camacho is a creator in continous need of expression. His first steps in art made him a promising writer, who discovered in music a closer way to transmit his feelings. He started his music career as a folk musician, touring more than 40 countries with his Spanish ensemble, and soon he found in composition an unexplored and challenging path to unlock his ideas. Graduated both in Music Education and in Musicology in Spain, he studied composition with Anders Flodin at Örebro University, Sweden, and in 2003 moved to England to pursue an MMus in Composition at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne; Agustín Fernández being his supervisor and a source of inspiration.

Now, after being awarded a PhD in Composition by Newcastle University, he is focused in his project of the regeneration of Spanish Lyrical Theatre through new composition. ‘Three-Word Poem about Loss’, where he acted both as composer and librettist, was his first staged opera. His first film score ‘The Equivocal Mirror’ was premiered at the SAGE Gateshead with a live orchestra. Soon followed the première by Northern Sinfonia of his piece ‘Savannah, the Call of the Motherland’ at the SAGE Gateshead under the baton of H.K. Grüber. This led to the world première of ‘Beyond the Milestone’, a new Spanish Zarzuela, arguably the first in its kind in the 21st century. Sergio combines his work as a composer and an academic with his performances with the bands Luna de Mayo and Los Volando Boys, and the direction of the Production Company Teatro de Nieve. His music has been recently performed internationally by top class artists, including the Northern Sinfonia, McFalls Chamber Orchestra and Tim Garland.

It was said

Sergio Camacho’s work is rooted in the powerful tradition that has evolved from the two-way exchanges between the Iberian peninsula and the Americas. Echoes of Mozarabic chant, strumming rumbles from the Venezuelan savannah, strains of sentimental boleros, atmospheric colours from Falla’s palette, and, in the words, the rich poetic imagery of Lorca, Neruda and five hundred years of folk poetry hurled back and forth across the Atlantic. This talented young Spaniard is mixing a heady potion for us. He deserves to succeed.

Professor Agustín Fernández
International Centre for Music Studies, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Sergio Camacho

Four Names for the One Moon

Composer

Orchestral, Film, Acoustic, Stage

A composer of his time, colourful, subtle, passionate, grounded, daring, with a knack for orchestration and a poetic musical discourse

Performer

Spanish and Latin Folk & Fusion

Rooted in tradition, growing towards new musics, conveys with his voice the pride of his heritage and a sense of future. Luna de Mayo, Los Volando Boys: Contemporary World Music at its best.

Music Director and Conductor

From the Score to the Stage

Opera, Zarzuela, New Music, Electroacoustic, Repertoire. Founder and Director of Teatro de Nieve production company and the Selenia Orchestra.

Researcher

Towards a Contemporary Zarzuela

With an academic career spanning Spain, the UK and Malaysia, and a broad range of research interests, he is committed to the reappraisal of Operetta, Zarzuela and Spanish Folk Music and their validity as contemporary cretive genres.